


Sign of Life

by elas_bubble



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bank Robbery, Fluff and Angst, Guns, Happy Ending, Heist, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 19:11:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20493836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elas_bubble/pseuds/elas_bubble
Summary: When Deran receives an unexpected sign of life from Adrian after weeks of silence and endless waiting, nothing and nobody can stop him. He tries everything to bring Adrian back home.





	Sign of Life

Monday, 5 days after Adrian left. 

‘Beep. Beep. Beep. The person you have called is temporarily not available.‘

———————

Wednesday, 14 days after Adrian left.

‘Beep. Beep. Beep. The person you have called is temporarily not available.‘

———————

Friday, 23 days after Adrian left. 

‘Beep. Beep. Beep. The person you have called is temporarily not available.‘

———————

Saturday, 38 days after Adrian left.

‘Beep. Beep. Beep. The person you have called is temporarily not available.‘

"Fuck! Why can't you just answer the damn phone," Deran curses and drops the phone next to him on the bed. He looks to the right half of the bed. Adrian’s half. He remembers the discussion they had about who should sleep on which side. In the end they had to flip a coin. Heads for Adrian, Tails for Deran. Adrian won and got his wish. He was gloating for days, telling Deran how great it is to wake up every morning and see the ocean first thing. Deran pretended to be angry but in reality he was happy that Adrian felt so comfortable in their home. Now it is not their home anymore, just his. 5 weeks have passed since the night at the pier. Since he has told Adrian to leave on his own. And nothing. Not a word. He tried to call him the next day. And the day after that. For more than 5 weeks now he has been trying to reach Adrian on a daily basis but is always greeted with the same message. ‘The person you have called is temporarily not available.’ Apparently Adrian has never turned on the phone Deran gave him on the day of the departure. Deran is now on the verge of losing his mind because he wonders if Adrian doesn’t switch on the phone because he doesn't want to do it or because he can't do it all the time. He just doesn’t know what to do anymore. A simple ‘I am ok‘ would be enough to settle his mind. 

Deran kicks off the blanket, gets up and walks into the kitchen to make coffee. He needs something strong to get him through the day. He still lives at their house. The decision to stay in the place where he has spent the happiest time of his life, had not been easy for him. For the first few weeks it has been impossible to set a foot in the house. The loss hurt him too much. But at some point he had missed Adrian so much that he had no choice but to come back. It was almost as if the house had called for him. It still hurts being here now. To sleep in their bed, to drink from Adrian’s favorite cup and to sit in his chair on the deck. But not being here would hurt even more. This way, he still has somewhat of a connection with Adrian. After all, Deran bought the house for Adrian. To make him happy. It had been Adrian’s dream to have a house on the beach. Abandoning or selling it now would make Deran feel like he's betraying Adrian. 

His life is quite dull and repetitive these days. He wakes up, drinks his coffee, runs some errands, works at his bar and from time to time he meets his brothers and J for meetings. Since Adrian left, they haven’t done a major job. Mostly because Pearce still drops by at the bar on a regular basis. The first couple of days, it was almost as if the cop has become Deran’s shadow or personal entourage. Wherever he went, Pearce was there — just waiting to get some information about the whereabouts of Adrian. But Deran can’t tell him anything. And he isn’t even lying. He knows nothing. He doesn’t know where the other one is, what he is doing or if he is okay. In his desperation, Deran even tried to reach the drivers he had hired to take them both to the airport but they never answered or returned his calls. In quiet moments, this scares him the most. But Deran tries to stay calm and he tells himself that Adrian is fine. That he is sitting at a beach in Indonesia, enjoying the waves and the sun and that he is just too pissed at Deran to actually pick up the phone to call or text him.

On this rather ordinary Saturday, he has no real plans. Craig is busy doing something with Renn and the baby, Pope spends his day with Angela, who still hangs around the Cody residence for some reason, and J is off to God knows where. So Deran decides to go to the bar just after breakfast. It is way too early but today everything is better than staying at the house and feeling the quietness creeping in. It seems to be one of those days when everything becomes too much and the feelings he has while thinking of Adrian threaten to overpower him. Maybe he could finally start cleaning the kitchen. Pope has helped him to get his 'A‘ rating back, but he is now mostly out and doing stuff with either Angela or J, so Deran needs to step up and keep the place clean in order to keep the rating at this level.

He arrives at the bar at around 11 am. Craig is waiting for him with two coffees in his hands.

“What are you doing here?“ Deran asks while accepting a still steaming cup of coffee. 

“Just had to get out of the house for a bit. Nick cried the entire night. I don’t know, dude. No one told me babies can be this loud. I haven’t slept in days.“

“Yeah. Same here.“

“What is keeping you up all night? Or better said, who?“ Craig asks with a wink. 

Deran just shakes his head. “Not what you think. Come on in, you can help me with the kitchen now that you’re here.“

Both enter the bar and immediately stop dead in their tracks. "What the hell...?" Deran and Craig look at the destroyed inside of the bar. Everywhere chairs and tables are scattered. Bottles and glasses are smashed, the pool table is torn and the whole wall is covered with graffiti. Deran slowly moves to the middle of the bar and sets up chairs along the way. "Damn it, Bro. The safe," Craig says. Deran runs to his office in the back. Everything's fine here. Nothing has been moved or touched. The safe is still in the same place. Deran enters the combination and opens the safe. Nothing is missing. He goes back to the main area. Also the cash register is untouched. The kitchen is fine. Nothing was damaged there. ‘Who the hell was that? Who would go to all this trouble and then take nothing worthy,’ Deran thinks confused.

“So? Is something missing?“

Deran shakes his head and circles around in the middle of the bar. “I don’t understand this.“

“Maybe you pissed someone off. And this is payback. Maybe an old flame," Craig chuckles. 

“Jesus, Craig! Stop with this bullshit! This is serious. Someone broke into my bar and trashed the place. I mean, look at this mess.“

"Yes. Someone broke into your bar but was too dumb to take anything. They just left a bunch of stupid graffiti. What are they supposed to mean anyway? They smeared your walls with names of random beaches. Maybe they thought you needed a new interior design."

„What do you mean — random beaches?“ Until now, Deran hasn’t checked the actual damage on the walls. He was too worried that someone robbed him but now that he has calmed down, he takes the time to look at the paintings. ‘Well, paintings’, Deran thinks to himself. Just some weird-ass writings in red color that have been sprayed all over the place. Craig steps up next to him, pointing towards the wall opposite to them.

“Just look. There is Shida Point, Kontiki Beach. Over there, Praia de Caparica…”

Deran turns around to see the rest. Craig is right. There are more…Bonzai Beach, North Beach, Arica. All beaches with good surfing. Great waves. He knows them all. He remembers that when he was younger he dreamed about traveling to all of them while competing professionally with Adrian. Suddenly it hits him. These are not random at all. He knows them because these beaches are all part of the QS program Adrian surfed during the last year. Adrian hasn’t stopped talking about them for weeks, probably even months. He can still hear Adrian raving about the waves and the people and the competitions there. Shida Point in Japan. That was the one Adrian won.

Fuck. This can’t be a coincidence. This has to mean something — spraying all these surfing spots on the walls of his bar. Someone wants to sent him a message. He steps closer to the wall, tries to see if there is more. Maybe another hint. Deran touches the color and checks his fingers. Nothing. So the paint had enough time to dry. He frantically searches for more clues. “Dude, what is going on?“, asks Craig, getting seriously concerned for Deran. 

“Something happened to Adrian. These are all locations he went to during QS. Someone is sending me a message and it has something to do with Adrian. I am sure of it. This can’t be a coincident.“

“Adrian? What? I thought he left.“  
“To be honest I have no idea. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. But regardless of that, something happened to him.”

“I thought you were with him on the night he left?“

“Yes. I mean no, not really! I saw him getting into a car. But I never saw him actually leave because I didn’t go with him, as you are very well aware of. Fuck. If something has happened to him, I don’t know what I do… . Shit shit shit.“

“Deran, chill. You don’t know that. This could be about anything?“

“Anything - really? What are the odds that someone breaks into MY bar to leave graffiti on MY wall with exactly the same places MY boyfriend surfed last year? Pretty unlikely, don't you think?“

Craig has to admit. This is odd. “Okay. Okay. Then call him. You have a number right? I know you are not supposed to reach out to him or whatever. But this is an emergency.“

Deran doesn't respond. He just stares at his older brother and at the graffiti at the walls.

“Bro?“

“I can’t call him.“

“Why not? You don’t have number?“

"Oh yes. I have a number. But he doesn't answer. I tried to call him. I've been trying to call him for the last 5 weeks. Every day. And nothing. I don't know where he is, how he is or if he got there safely. I don't know anything." Deran’s voice cracks. “FUCK!” Deran screams out his frustration. Craig jerks back, not expecting this outburst. He can tell that Deran is trying to pull himself together. He knows it has been hard for Deran to let Adrian go. He just underestimated how hard it really is.

“Deran, come on. Calm down. We still don’t know anything. This could all be just …“

“No. I've had this strange feeling for a while now. Even if Adrian is pissed at me, he would contact me and let me know that everything is okay. He wouldn't torture me like that. Even if I deserved it, this is not like him. He knows that I am worried. Something is not right. I just know it. We need to figure out who did this.“

———————

The bar is closed for the time being. To continue with his business as usual would also mean to paint over the graffiti. And Deran can't do that. Not until he finally knows what it all means. And in any case, he wants to avoid having to answer unnecessary questions. Questions to which he does not have answers yet. So it was the easiest choice to just tell his staff to take a couple of days off. They should relax and enjoy the rest of the summer. Deran doesn’t leave, however. He spends most of his time staring at the walls while pondering. He calls around, meets some guys, reaches out to anyone he could think of — friend or enemy. But no one has heard anything. None of them has any useful clues. It is very frustrating. 

Deran doesn’t really go home anymore. He has slept in his bar before. He can do it again. The mattress in the small attic in his office is still there. He had never bothered to throw it away. Perhaps in wise foresight that he would need it again eventually. 

"I just don't want to miss the next message or call," he explains to his brothers as they try to persuade him that it would be better for him to go outside for a while and get some space, and that he can't force the kidnappers — whoever they may be — to reach out to him sooner anyway. Deran knows that his brothers and J are probably right and mean well, but he rejects any offer and stays put. He knows they will contact him soon. Nobody goes through all this trouble and then drops the matter. It's Wednesday morning, almost 6 am, and Deran is about to follow his brothers' advice after all and go outside for a while to get some fresh air and walk on the beach for an hour, so that he can clear his head again, when he sees an envelope pinned to the front door. He rips the envelope off the door and opens it. He acts so hastily that he almost tears the paper inside. There is not much inside the envelope. Only a note and a polaroid picture. Deran looks at the photo and drops it immediately. The picture shows Adrian. He picks it up again with trembling hands. Adrian sits on a bed in a simple room wearing the same grey hoodie and tank top he had on the day Deran said goodbye to him. 

After the initial shock, he checks Adrian's picture for injuries or any other damage. He can't see much of him, only his face and the upper part of his body, but what he can see, looks good. No bruises, no blood. Whoever has Adrian at least treats him decent. He unfolds the sheet of paper. There are only a few numbers on it. Coordinates, Deran suspects. He takes a deep breath. He feels more tense than ever before in his life. No job has ever affected him that much. But he has to stay calm, try not to panic and remain focused. This is what he has been waiting for. He wanted more information. Now he has it. The next step would be to find out who took Adrian where and why. He turns around to go back inside. Fuck the beach. He has no time for that now. Back inside, he sits down at the counter and runs his hands through his hair. He needs to collect his thoughts. Deran can feel the blood pumping through his veins. He feels the adrenalin kicking in. Deran’s brain switches to auto mode like it does during one of their heists and he focuses on the task on hand. Years of working under stress and strain are now paying off. 

The youngest of the Cody brothers pulls up a piece of paper from under the bar counter and writes down everything he knows so far. The facts are: Someone has kidnapped Adrian. Most likely on the day he was supposed to board the plane to Indonesia. They took him somewhere and kept him there for 5 weeks now. They waited until now to make their move and reach out to Deran. The kidnapper must be someone who at least has an idea who the Codys are and who they are close with. And there must be something they want. It can’t be money. Otherwise, why wait for 5 weeks. So, it must be something else. Something he can do. Or the Codys can do. He has no other choice. He needs to go there. ‚Fuck, the coordinates‘, Deran remembers. He grabs his phone and googles the numbers. Mexico. ‘Thank fuck, it is not some place on the other site of the planet,’ Deran thinks gratefully to himself. The pin is located in the middle of nowhere. There’s no bigger town nearby. He checks his phone how long it will take him to get there. Over 10 hours by car. He cannot do this in one run all by himself. He needs Craig to go with him. So, he dials Craig's number. It rings several times, before he hears Craig’s sleepy mumble.

“Yo, what’s up? It is 7 am in the morning. I finally fell asleep. It better be important.“

“Craig, I need you to come to the bar. I know where Adrian is. I need you now. We need to go.“

“Deran. Woaah. Wait a minute…“

“There is no time. Just move your ass. We need to go!“ He yells at Craig and hangs up. He has no time for smalltalk. He needs to hurry and get Adrian out of there. 

It takes Craig over an hour to show up. “What the hell, man? I told you we need to hurry.“

“Deran, I have a kid. I cannot leave just like that. Renn was out. I had to wait till she got back. Anyway, what is going on? They really have him and you know where he is?“

“Yes, this envelope was stuck to my door. It had a picture of him and a note with coordinates inside.“

Craig checks both things and taps on the paper with the numbers: “Where is he?“

“Mexico — somewhere in the desert. I don’t know the place but it will take 10 hours to get there.“

“Okay stop. You need to chill. We cannot not just drive down there without a plan. We need to think this through. You have a picture and some coordinates that lead you to the fucking desert in fucking Mexico? What if this is trap? What if a bunch of assholes are waiting there ready to shoot you?“

Deran understands what Craig is saying and he appreciates that he keeps a clear head, but he can't afford to think like that. Not when Adrian's life is at stake. "I don't care, Craig. I have to go, okay? They've got him. I have to help him. I need to save him and bring him home."

"Okay, let's forget for a moment the very high probability that we could get shot there. What's the plan? We go there and then what? We wait? In the desert until somebody hopefully shows up?”

‘That is a valid point.’ Deran has to admit. He doesn’t know a time. They just gave him a meeting point but no time. Fuck. He starts pacing up and down, chewing on his thumb. This is not good. He cannot just wait here. He needs to go and do something. So far, they haven’t touched Adrian. But who knows what they have in mind. Who knows what these people are capable of. 

“Deran!“ Craig calls his brother but receives no reaction.“Deran!“ Still nothing. He goes over to him and grabs him by the shoulders. „Deran!” Finally, he looks up. 

“Here is what we do. You will stop running around and chill for a second. I call Pope and J and get them here. We need to discuss the next steps. The guys who took Adrian are obviously up to something. So they will contact you again. They will tell you a time and the moment we have that, we can drive there. Until then, we wait. It really doesn't help anyone if you drive to Mexico like a madman. Especially not Adrian.“

Deran opens his mouth to say something, but Craig stops him with a hand motion. "We stay here. We use the time we have to prepare and get ready. Get equipment, weapons and ammo."

Deran must agree that this makes sense. He has no choice but to accept Craig's plan. When did his brother become so wise? Fatherhood really seems to do him good.

————————

When Pope and J arrive, Craig takes charge and explains what has happened over the last couple of days. Deran is grateful to him for that. His head is buzzing and it is difficult for him to grasp a clear thought. Nervously, Deran plays with his mobile phone. He sincerely hopes that this time the kidnappers will get in touch sooner. Deran will go crazy if he has to waste another three days with waiting and doing nothing. 

“We will come with you.“ Deran raises his head in surprise. He hasn’t paid much attention while his brothers and J have discussed the matter. “What do you mean?“ 

Pope looks at Deran as if he is crazy and raises an eyebrow. “Do you really think, we let you go there by yourself? We are a family, remember? So we gonna do this together.“ 

Deran gets up, moves to Pope and hugs him tight. “Thank you.“ If someone asks him, he would deny it but he is happy that he doesn’t have to go there alone or just with Craig. He needs Pope and J. They hardly know Adrian and are therefore less affected by the situation. Not like Craig who spent a lot of time with Adrian when they grew up together. And definitely not like Deran. He trusts Pope and J to remain levelheaded and to not shy away from kicking his ass in case he loses his head. In precisely this moment, his phone beeps once. When he checks the display, he freezes. It is Adrian’s number. Not his personal number but it is the number of the phone he gave Adrian on the day he left. Deran remembers that morning. Adrian had looked at him with a confused expression on his face. “I do have a phone, you know," he said. Deran had explained to him that they need to leave everything behind that can be tracked. Especially their mobile phones. So Deran had given Adrian this phone and Adrian had to promise him that he would always carry it with him: "Just in case we get separated somehow. I also have a new phone and my number is the only one in your phone. So whenever you need me, you just call this number, okay?"

With a strong shake of his head Deran tries to get rid of this memory. Now is not the time. He checks and sees that he has received a new SMS. It says: "Monday, 10 o'clock".  
Deran gets angry. So these guys had his number and knew how to contact him the entire time, but they still preferred to play these little mind games with him by breaking into his property and keeping him waiting for days for more information. He reminds himself that it's not wise to waste energy on this and get upset about it. He has what he wanted. He knows the time. They have less than 48 hours to meet some strangers, who have dared to kidnap the love of his life, in a remote place in Mexico. And he can hardly wait.

———————

Hours feel like days but on Sunday afternoon they are finally ready to head off. It took a while for them to get prepared. Pope searched through Smurf’s arsenal of weapons and munition and J went out to get them a different car. Now they are sitting in a grey van similar to the one Deran used to drive, with new license plates and well-hidden ammunition, on their way to Mexico. Deran leaves the driving to the others. He sits in the back, stares out of the window, counts down the minutes and prays that Adrian is still doing okay.

It takes longer than usual to cross the border, but they are still good in time. Around 8 o'clock in the morning they arrive at the agreed place. As already suspected, they are standing in the middle of the desert. There is nothing to see but sand and a few cacti here and there. In case this thing goes south, there is no place where they could hide or take cover. Deran checks his watch. It is still over an hour to 10 o'clock. That's the worst part. Waiting for something to happen. He starts pacing up and down. "Deran, stop it. You make me nervous when you walk around like that," Craig commands. "Just sit down and… .” 

The sound of engines stops him in the middle of the sentence. They all turn towards the noise. “Here we go,“ J says, taking out his gun and checking it one last time. 

Two cars approach them. Black SUVs. They stop right in front of the four Cody men. The doors open and two men get out of each car. All four Codys move a little closer together. They don't pull their guns yet but they make sure that the other four men see that they are armed. Judging by the looks, they are Mexicans. One of the guys approaches them with a smile. “Gentlemen, there is no need for that," he says, pointing at the guns. “We are not here to start a shootout.“

“So why are we here? Where is Adrian? What did you do to him?“ Deran lunges at the guy closest to him. 

“You must be Deran? You can calm down. Your boyfriend is fine. And he will remain fine when you stay calm and listen to me. There is really nothing to worry about.“ He gives Deran a reassuring smile. “Okay, I can tell that you are tense. So I will not drag this out any longer than necessary. We are here," he states while pointing to the other three Mexicans, “because we want to offer you a business opportunity.“

The four Codys exchange quick looks. Pope steps forward and asks “What kind of business opportunity?“ 

"You get right to the point. I like it. We are planning a job. A big one. Unfortunately, there is a problem now that jeopardizes the entire plan. Long story short, we need men. Experts, to be precise, who know how to properly finish a job. And it does not need much asking around until one hears the name Cody.“

Deran can’t believe what he hears. What is this asshole talking about? “Do I get this right? You kidnap a person just to get us here so you can offer us a job? Ever heard of something like a phone?" 

“Well, this kind of opportunity should not be discussed over the phone. Taking Adrian was to give us an advantage and to ensure that you will indeed show up. He also serves as insurance in some way. So we actually kill two birds with one stone."

“Insurance for what?“

“Insurance that you will not betray us when we work together. You can never be too sure.“

J who has quietly observed the entire thing, steps forward and interrupts the conversation. "Okay, you have our attention. What kind of job are we talking about and what are your terms?"

The one Mexican who is obviously the leader of the group, seems happy with J’s comment. “Great. We will talk. But not here. Follow us.“ He moves towards the car to get in when he turns around once more. “My name is Rodrigo. Rodrigo Fernandez.“

———————-

After a two-hour drive, they come to a stop in front of a luxurious villa. The building resembles the style of a South European finca with a huge garden, an impressive pool landscape and an inviting terrace.

Rodrigo takes them to a large table. "What can I get for you? Beer, Tequila?"

"I want to see him. Where's Adrian?" Deran wants to know. 

"No. First we talk. Then you can see him."

"Hell, we will. Look, you let me see him now or I swear to God, I won't hesitate to put a bullet in each one of your heads."

Deran stares right into Rodrigos eyes, not backing down. He wants to make sure Adrian is fine. He just wants to see him again, after almost six long weeks. Rodrigo recognizes the determination in Deran's gaze. With a barely noticeable nod of his head, he gives one of his men a silent instruction. This man turns around and disappears into the house. A minute laters, he drags Adrian outside the patio. 

Adrian's eyes blink away from the sun as he is pushed outside. The moment Deran sees him, he pushes everyone out of the way and pulls Adrian into a tight hug. The feeling of relief spreads through him and his eyes fill up with tears. Before he can stop it, a single tear runs down his cheek. But in this moment, he doesn't care if anyone sees him and what they think of him. He is just so damn happy to see Adrian and be able to touch him again. Adrian seems to be overwhelmed by the situation. He stands there in shock, not knowing how to react. Slowly he seems to comprehend what is happening though and the moment he finally notices who is holding him in his arms, a relieved sigh escapes the blonde and he wraps his arms around Deran's neck and embraces him just as strongly.

“Adrian. Are you okay? Did they hurt you? I was so worried. I tried to call you, but the phone was dead. I missed you so much. Please forgive me. I was stupid. So stupid. And scared. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have gone with you. I was a coward. I was selfish. Just thinking about me,“ Deran babbles. 

Adrian doesn’t respond. He just pulls the other one even closer until it was as if their bodies become one. 

“Okay, lovebirds. That's enough,“ orders the man who brought Adrian outside and pulls Adrian away from Deran. Something Deran does not accept. He clings to Adrians hands, ready to fight anyone who forces him to let go of Adrian again. 

"Pablo, it's all right. Let them be." Rodrigo tells the other and points to the two chairs. "Please Adrian. Sit down. You should join our conversation, because that also concerns you. Besides, I don't think Deran will listen to a single word I say when you're not in his sight. So please. Sit down. In fact, let us all sit down. We have business to discuss and we're running out of time."

Nine chairs move and the four Codys, Rodrigo, Pablo, the other two Mexicans and Adrian take their seats. The moment they sit down, Deran grabs Adrian's hand. It's not much, but Deran hopes that with this simple gesture he can give Adrian some reassurance and strength and show him how sorry he is for dragging him into this.

"Thank you. Before we get started, let me introduce the rest of my team. That's Pablo and over there are José and Miguel. As already mentioned, this job is a big one. We planed it for seven months. It took us so long to make sure it works. It is risky, I am not gonna lie. But if it all goes well, we are talking about 7 figures — guaranteed. Something has happened though that could threaten the entire plan. Miguel and Pablo had a run in with the cops the other day and are now on their radar. They are being followed. There is always a car nearby, no matter where they go which is a problem when you plan to rob a bank."

J and Pope exchange looks. Robbing a bank. They haven't done that for a long time because bank jobs are tricky. Most of the time they fail. If this is going where they both think it is going, they are the ones who have to take the risk. If the job fails, they are the ones who will get arrested in the end.

“You want to rob a bank? How?"

Miguel goes into the house, comes back with three big rolled-up papers and hands them to Rodrigo. "It's pretty brilliant if I may say so myself." He unrolls the first piece of paper. It's a map. He points to one of the buildings. "The bank we picked is pretty isolated, which means there are no other buildings in the approximate neighborhood."

„Okay, so less people. That’s good. How do you want to go in?“

„That is the brilliant part. A tunnel.“ 

The Codys look at him in surprise. Craig snorts and asks “You want us to dig a tunnel in what — a day?“

“No. The tunnel already exists. I told you. We have been working on this plan for a long time. 100 feet from the bank is an underground parking. They also have parking with lockable roll shutters. We rented one of these seven months ago. We used fake passports and identities of course and have been digging the tunnel ever since. No one is around that parking lot and the bank after working hours and during the weekends. So we could dig without anyone noticing anything. No one knows we are there.“

“That is a fucking long tunnel? How can you guarantee it won’t collapse?“

Rodrigo grabs the second paper roll to show them the construction plan of the tunnel. “We have hired experts. One engineer, one constructor and two former miners. They know what they are doing. It looks good. I was there, the tunnel is wide enough so that you can crawl through it comfortably on your hands and feet. My men estimate that we will hit the vault tonight. If all goes according to plan, and it will, we are ready to go in around midnight. Once we are in, we have five, maybe six hours. It has to go smooth. Get in, open the lockers, take everything and leave. No one will ever know what and who has hit them.“

Pope studies the plans. They look good. “Your guys have been working in the tunnel for months you say? So, what about tracks? DNA? After that much time the cops will find something. That’s for sure.“

“That won't be a problem. Even if they find something, these guys are not in the system. There is nothing, not even a speeding ticket. We have checked all this. Rest assured, there is no risk that they can be identified and linked to us.”

“What about the vault? When we get there, what will we see?“ 

Rodrigo nods and picks up the last piece of paper. “Yes, good question.“ He unfolds it. “This is the vault. The x here,“ he taps on the little x on one of the walls, “this is the spot through which you will enter the vault. There are four cameras in each corner.“ He points to the four spots were the cameras are located. “You need to take care of these first. But you know this of course,“ he winks at them. 

“Inside the vault, there will be deposit boxes. 1,600 of them. And we will rob them all. Well, you will. Hopefully,“ he added with a smirk. 

The men check the plans and sketches. Everybody tries to understand the plan and see potential flaws they need to consider.

After at least ten minutes of silence, Deran finally speaks up. “How do we open the deposit boxes?“

The leader of the Mexican crew looks up and smiles. “There is a list with all the codes — neatly sorted and numbered. The customers have keys but the bank opens the lockers with codes which they change every week. One of our contact people has opened a deposit box at the bank and knows about the procedure. The list is locked in the top drawer of the desk of the chief secretary.“

"Oh that is brilliant,“ states Craig. “And how do you suggest, we’ll get this list?“

Rodrigo turns to Adrian. “Well, I was thinking, this could be your job.“

Adrian stares back at Rodrigo with wide eyes. He feels his head getting dizzy and his mouth dry. He is not sure he understands the other man correctly. But before he can even form a sentence to reply, Deran already shouts: “Fuck no. What are you talking about? Are you insane? He is definitely not getting involved. There is no chance in hell, he is going anywhere near this bank.“

Rodrigo watches Deran. His smile is gone and his voice takes on a threatening tone. “Well, he doesn’t have much of a choice, does he?“

That shuts Deran up. He remains silent, not wanting to cause any more trouble for Adrian. But it is hard. He doesn’t want that for him. He can tell that Adrian is struggling but if he does not want the situation to escalate, he has to stay calm and think. So he says: “Okay, you need the list, I will get it.“ He squeezes Adrian’s hand to reassure him. 

„No,“ objects Rodrigo. “Your job is the tunnel and the vault. Adrian will do this. The secretary has a thing for handsome guys. He is perfect for that job! She will love him and it is a simple task. He just needs to flirt with her a bit, distract her, make her leave the office for a short while and grab the list. And that’s it!“

Adrian clears his throat to get the attention. "Uhm... I don’t speak Spanish. At least not good enough to actually talk to her. I don't know if I am the right one for this."

"This is not a problem. The girl speaks English. This even works in your favor. She will remember you as a tourist who got lost or something. You do not have to worry about a thing. You can do this. It will take 15 minutes - tops!“

“Yeah. Okay. I do it.“ Deran closes his eyes and counts to ten. He cannot believe this. If anything happens to Adrian, he swears to himself, Rodrigo will be a dead man.

“Brilliant. Then it is settled.“ Rodrigo is about to get up when J interrupts him. 

“No, it’s not. What about the payment? We take all the risks in your operation. What’s in it for us?“

Rodrigo turns to J and nods in agreement. “Right. You should not work for nothing. After all, I need motivated little workers. We were thinking, 10 per cent. And Adrian.“

“20 per cent,“ J demands.

"Look, boy. I don't think you're in a position to make any requests here."

“20 per cent," J’s look hardens. “Look, this is a good deal for you, all things considered.“ 

Rodrigo thinks it over and in the end he agrees. “Deal.“

————————-

It is three pm. Nine hours till midnight. Adrian gets ready to drive into town to get the list with the combinations for the deposit boxes. He is nervous. He can feel his hands shaking while he is putting on his clothes. He takes three deep breathes. He needs to calm down if he does not want to screw this up. ‘You can do it. It is easy,’ he tells himself. Right in the middle of his motivational speech, someone knocks on his door. “Yeah, come in,“ he shouts. Deran opens the door and puts his head through the frame. "Is it all right to come in?" Adrian nods. Deran walks slowly towards him, stops right in front of him and shyly looks at him.  
“I don't know what to do here?“ Deran admits. Adrian looks back at him but doesn’t say anything. Deran squirms under Adrian’s look. “I just want to…,“ he opens his arms, indicating that he wants to hug Adrian. Slowly he moves closer and when Adrian shows no intention to avoid the touch, he pulls Adrian into a tight embrace which Adrian reciprocates almost immediately by wrapping his arms around Deran. “I can’t believe you are here,“ he mutters. Deran leans back a bit so that he can look into Adrian’s eyes. 

“Of course I am here. The moment I knew where you are, I left to come to you. Adrian, I am so sorry. About everything…. I just wasn’t sure. Or I was afraid. It was too much. I couldn’t think straight. With Smurf. And Craig. And Pope. That I…“

“Shhhhh,“ interrupts Adrian Deran’s torrent of words. “Not now. I cannot do this now, okay. I need to do this thing soon and I don’t want any distractions. I am nervous enough as it is. Just stay here with me for a bit.“

This is a request Deran is only too eager to please. For weeks he has wished for nothing more than to see Adrian again. And now, that he has the chance, he can’t help himself. He has to touch the other man. With one hand he strokes Adrian's cheek light as a feather and with the other he runs through Adrian's hair. But Deran wants more. He wants to kiss Adrian. He's just not sure if he's allowed. But Adrian must have the same thought, because before Deran can even make a move, Adrian grabs him by the back of his head, closes the gap between them and kisses him. This kiss is different from their previous ones — less passionate and heated. It is almost cautious, as if none of them wants to do anything wrong, which is ridiculous considering they've been kissing since they were 15, but given their recent history, this insecurity is only understandable. And although the kiss feels different, it still is perfect and Deran loves every second of it until they are interrupted by another knock on the door.

“Okay, Loverboy. Showtime.“ José, one of Rodrigo’s men, stands in the doorframe and watches them expectantly. “Come on. We don’t have all day. And always keep in mind, we count on you. You fuck this up and the entire plan falls apart.“ José moves away from the door and heads back to the living room. Adrian can hear him laugh. “Great," he mutters. Before Adrian can turn away from Deran, the latter grabs him with both hands and forces Adrian to look at him. “You got this. If you want I can come with you and if you really don’t feel like it. I will get the list. Fuck Rodrigo. You can count on me.“

Adrian smiles at him. “No. You don’t have to do this. 15 minutes job right? Should be fine. But if you want to come, that would be good. You know — as moral support.“  
“Of course.“

——————————-

It is hell to sit in the car and not being able to do anything. The nail of Deran’s right thumb is basically not existent anymore. He can see Adrian through the window. They had to hide the car a bit but Deran asked José to park it in a way that he can see the main entrance and the window of the secretary’s office. So that, in case something goes wrong, he can intervene and help Adrian out. But so far he has nothing to worry about, Adrian is a natural. He entered the bank confidently and with a smile and now he laughs with the girl at the front desk. Rodrigo was right. The secretary loves him. All the signs are there. She plays with her hair, touches Adrian’s arm and bats her eyelashes. Something Deran does not like at all. But who can blame her, Deran thinks. Adrian is perfect. A great body with a great personality and the most charming smile. He notices how much he hates it when other people touch his boyfriend when he sees his knuckles turning white because he is holding on too tightly to the car seat in front of him. Just when Deran thinks Adrian should hurry up, the secretary leaves the room to go to the office kitchen. Deran sits up straight and watches attentively what Adrian does next. He almost forgets to breathe when he sees Adrian disappear behind the counter. After that he can't really tell what Adrian is doing there, but just a minute later Adrian steps in front of the desk again and waits for the secretary to return.

Deran’s body relaxes and he exhales relieved. He is sure that Adrian was successful. 'Come on A, what are you waiting for. Just go.’ But Adrian doesn't make any effort to leave the bank. He just stands there and waits. When the secretary enters the office again with two cups of coffee in her hands, Adrian takes a phone out. After a brief moment, he points to the phone, shrugs his shoulders apologetically, waves goodbye to the girl and calmly leaves the bank. They had arranged to meet a bit further down the road so no one sees Adrian with them. Deran tells José to drive. Five minutes later he sees Adrian approaching them. The moment he gets in the car, Deran lunges at Adrian and holds him tight. “That was brilliant.“ 

Adrian can’t help but laugh. “Yes, I thought I would die the entire time, but I think it went well.“

José turns around in his seat and raises an eyebrow: “We’re good?“

Adrian raises his shirt and shows the pieces of paper he had stuffed into his shorts.

“Okay. Did you keep your face away from the cameras as discussed?“

Adrian nods. “Yeah, there was just one. Like you said. And I had my back to it the entire time.“

José nods approvingly and sets the car in motion. "You did a great job, A. Now it's on us," Deran praises him and squeezes his thigh and for the whole trip back he doesn't take his hand away again.

————————————

Although it has sounded like one of the riskiest and most dangerous jobs of all time at first, everyone agreed that hardly any other job went as smoothly as this one. The construction workers called them just before midnight and told them that they hit the outside of the vault and were now ready to go in. It was like child's play. The seven months of planning really paid off. Craig, Pope, J and Deran arrived at the underground car park without anyone noticing and therefore could enter the parking lot without any problem. Then they crawled through the tunnel and reached the safe within 15 minutes. As soon as they were inside, the Cody machinery was running hot. J and Deran, blackened the cameras, opened the lockers and packed the haul into large bags. Craig then pushed the bags through the tunnel and Pope loaded everything into the car. They worked a few hours like this until they got a message from Rodrigo with a simple ‘Go’.

It is 6 a.m. when the group gathers in Rodrigo's living room to count how much they have bagged. Cash, jewelry and gold worth at least $10 million lie on the table in front of them. 

10 million dollars. Their biggest job ever — by far. Everyone still can't believe that everything went so perfectly. They behave like children — screaming and celebrating and throwing money in the air. 

As agreed, the Codys get 20 percent. The Mexicans agree to pay them in cash, as it will be difficult to cross the border with gold bars and bags full of jewelry. 

"Gentlemen, it has been a pleasure doing business with you. Perhaps we should do it again."

Pope shakes his head. "Thank you for the offer, but we must refuse. We don't work as hired help. It was a great gig but this was a one-time thing due to extraordinary circumstances. In fact, we will leave you to it now and head back to California."

"Pope, calm down. It's 6 in the fucking morning. We just made two damn millions. Live a little," Craig encourages his brother. 

“They will detect the break-in soon and call the cops. And even if we have left no tracks, let’s not risk it. The sooner we leave, the sooner we are home. People need to see our faces. You know, as we were never here in the first place.“

“Pope. Come on. Popey. Popey.“

Pope rolls his eyes. “Okay, we stay a little longer. But be ready to leave at ten the latest.“ With this, he turns around and heads to one of the bed rooms to get some rest. It is a long drive home.

Deran follows the discussion of his brothers with a smile. From the corner of his eyes he can see Adrian slowly walking out through the patio door and heading for a bench under an orange tree in the back of the garden and sitting down there. Deran frowns and follows him. When he reaches him, he kneels down so that he can look Adrian in the eyes. 

“Hey, are you all right?“

Adrian just shrugs and runs his hands through his hair. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to think or feel right now. I haven’t really known that for months now, to be honest. I know I said I don’t want to talk about it here. But maybe this time is as good as any. My life has been pretty shitty lately, Deran. The drugs, working with the cops, hiding it from you. I was threatened to be killed, forced to leave my home and my family and I had to say goodbye to the one person I love more than anything in this world. And to top it all of, I was kidnapped by some guys, locked up in a room for weeks without knowing what is going on or what will happen to me and now I participated in a bank robbery.“ He takes a long pause. Deran does not know how to respond to that. He searches for the right words but ends up blank.

But he doesn’t have to say anything because Adrian continues. “In this room, I had time to think. It was all I did really. I thought about you a lot. About what I want to tell you if I ever see you again. But now that you are here, it is hard to find the right words.“

“Adrian, we do not have to talk about it,“ Deran tells him. 

“No Deran,“ Adrian reacts harshly. “We need to talk about this. Because we never talk. So, please!“

Deran gets up and sits down next to Adrian, turns to him and signals him that he is listening. Adrian takes a deep breath. Deran can see that he is nervous because he is playing with some pebbles on the floor with his shoes. Something he only does when he feels insecure. “I'm sorry that I yelled. But I really have to say that. What I have to tell you may be unfair or selfish, but I want to be honest with you about how I feel.” He checks if Deran is okay with this, and when he sees him nod, he goes on. "Remember what you said that night on the pier?" Deran nods again. "You said, if I go to prison, I'll talk to the police sooner or later. That you can't risk that. You said that you couldn't bear not knowing if it was the police, my cellmates or maybe your brothers if something happens to me. You were worried that I might talk or that you might lose faith in your brothers. But you didn't really think about me. You didn't say that you couldn't live without me or that you couldn't stand it when I got hurt, or worse, killed.“

“Adrian. No. Of course I was…,” Deran tries to explain himself, but the other man doesn’t give him the chance.

“That really hurt. You know, I was ready to give up everything and start a new life as long as I could be with you. Deran, I know this is not fair to you. I know it was my fault, my mistake that led us into this whole mess. But the fact that you decided against me really fucked me up,” Adrian admits. “And in that moment I wanted to hurt you back. That's why I said you were the worst thing that ever happened to me.” Now that he has started to talk, he can’t stop. The words just pour out of him. He and Deran must finally start to communicate because they only can function as a couple and be happy when there are no more secrets. Because the last weeks also have proven him another thing. For him there is only Deran. He realized that he wants to be with Deran forever. "I know I should have talked to you sooner. But I wanted to solve this on my own without getting you involved. You have to believe that. I wanted to keep everything as far away from you as possible. I was so scared that you wouldn't believe me or that you wouldn't trust me anymore and that it would be over between us. And then it was too late. I waited too long. Pearce showed up and started asking these questions about you and your family and I just didn't know what to do anymore. And the whole time I was thinking that I screwed everything up. We were finally happy, we were finally together and I screwed that up. So I agreed with everything. It was on me and you were just trying to help me. So I just went with whatever plan you came up with and kept my mouth shut."

Adrian can see that his words clearly have an effect on Deran. When Deran tries to turn away from Adrian, he stops him from doing so. Now it is him who kneels before Deran. He holds on to Deran's thigh with one hand, lifts his chin up with the other and looks in his eyes. "Everything I just told you is true. I was really mad at you. But I was just as mad at myself. However, there is one thing you should never forget, Deran Cody. All the anger is nothing compared to the love I feel for you. Because despite all this crap, I want to be with you so bad. The truth is that you are the best thing that ever happened to me, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart." 

Deran responds to his confession by leaning forward and kissing him. Adrian returns the kiss, but pulls his head back before Deran can deepen it. “Before we do that, and believe me I cannot wait to do that more, what about you? You wanted to say something earlier. I want to hear your side. What are you thinking or feeling?“ Deran gulps. His first instinct is to brush the question aside and just avoid any further confrontation but Adrian is right. Their non-existent communication has not worked for them very well in the past. So he jumps over his own shadow and starts to talk: “The last weeks, I only felt empty and hollow. The moment I saw you getting in that car, it was like half of myself was gone. I missed you like hell. I regretted my decision so much and I was worried about you and wondered where you are and what you do every day. But if I am being honest, I was also so pissed at you. I knew from the start something was up. I saw in your eyes and I felt it when you avoided my glance or my touch or when you gave stupid excuses not to be with me. First I thought it was me. That I did something wrong, but then I realized that it was about you. It pissed me off that you did not confide in me. It pissed me off that you didn’t trust me enough to share your problems. It pissed me off that you dropped that bombshell on us and it pissed me off that you put me in this impossible situation. Because I couldn’t win. Whatever I came up with, it was just a lose-lose situation. I don’t know if this was also part of my decision to stay — maybe subconsciously I wanted to punish you but this was all gone in the moment you left. I love you, Adrian. Always have, always will.“

Adrian listens closely. He is proud of Deran that he opens up. Of course it hurts hearing these words but now that they are in the open, they can work to solve their issues and then move on from them. Together. He stands up, kisses Deran on his forehead and smiles at him. It is his way of showing Deran that he understands him and that it is okay. „Thank you for sharing this with me. I really think we needed this. We have to talk about it more later because I know that I owe you just as much of an apology and explanation. But right now, I just want to go back to Oceanside. So, how about you take me home, Mr. Cody?” He looks over to the rest of the group. “I can tell that Pope is getting impatient.“ He takes Deran by the hand and wants to pull him up of the bench, when he stalls in his movements. “Unless, there is no home anymore?“ Deran has to laugh at that scared look on Adrian’s face. “You can calm down. Your shower is still in proper function and waits for you.“  
Adrian is relieved. “Ok, Thank God.“

——————

Three weeks have passed since they got back from Mexico. The first couple of days were a bit weird. Most of the time they acted unnecessarily considerate of each other. It took them some time to get comfortable with each other again. But after Craig and his family, Pope and J stopped by unannounced one day, the ice broke and the Cody-Dolan household turned back to normal. 

It is Thursday evening, when Deran unlocks the door and is welcomed with darkness. “Adrian?“, he calls. When no one answers, he goes searching for his boyfriend. He finds him on their deck, leaning against the railing. ‘Of course, where else would he be,’ Deran thinks fondly. He opens the door.

“Hey. I called your name. You didn’t answer.“

Adrian turns around to see Deran stepping through the door. “Yes, sorry. I didn’t hear you.“

“What are you doing out here? It’s getting cold.“

“I just came out to see the sunset.“

“Sunset was, like, three hours ago.“ Deran walks over to stand behind Adrian. Adrian only wears one of his tank tops, so Deran starts to rub his arms. “God, you’re freezing. You should really go inside.“ Adrian simply grins at him and shakes his head. Deran rolls his eyes and wraps his arms around the other man who relaxes against him and enjoys the warmth coming off from Deran’s body. 

“You sure you are all right?“, Deran asks again.  
"Yes, I'm sure. I just want to enjoy the quietness. The waves. It's been a while since I could just cherish the moment without being afraid and cautious of every noise around me. I almost forgot what that is like."

Adrian feels how Deran pulls him closer towards him to rest his head on his shoulders. “Hm…,“ he hears Deran agreeing. “I called you earlier.“ He feels Deran’s breath on his neck while he talks. He shivers. He really has missed this guy. He draws Deran's arms closer around him.

“Phone’s inside. What time is it?"

“After ten.“

Adrian turns his head and looks at him in surprise “What? Really? I completely forgot the time. Where have you been?“

“I was at the bar. The graffiti were still there. Craig helped me getting rid of them. I think we can reopen tomorrow.“

Adrian smiles. Deran and his bar. “That’s good. Maybe I’ll join you. I could use a couple of drinks after the day I had.“

“Yeah about that, I thought you would call me after your meeting? I could have picked you up.“ Deran says and turns Adrian in his arms so that he can see his face properly.

“Jess waited for me outside. We drove around, talked, and then she dropped me off at the beach. I just felt like walking around for a bit. And then I just sat here. I am sorry. I didn’t want to worry you.“

“No. It’s no problem. So what did they say? Did you meet Pearce?“

“Yeah. And Livengood. It was quite the reunion.“

Deran starts to get nervous. Adrian is not giving him much. 

“Okay. I hate this. What happened? Do you have to go to prison? What about the trial? Could you please just tell me. What did they say?“

“Not too much really. It was weird. They offered me some kind of new deal or they re-offered me the old deal again. I don’t know.“

Deran’s heart sinks. God damn it. Not this again. He cannot do this again.

“What? He still wants you to tell on us?“ Adrian sees the concern in Deran’s look and gives him a small and reassuring kiss.

“No. He must have lost interest. Might be because of Smurf’s death. Apparently with her not being part of the deal, he is less interested in you. He, however, asked me to share all I know about the Sanchos.“

“Sanchos? Who are they? Never heard of them.“

“Well, neither did I. But as it turns out, Rodrigo knows them. Quite well apparently. The Sanchos and him worked together for a couple of years now. And for some reason, Pearce knew they were around at the time I was captured there. Apparently the Sanchos are big fish. I told him that I don’t know anything. That I was held locked up in a little room with a small window and with little to no chance to see anything. In the end he was happy with whatever I was able to tell him. So, I did. I told him everything I saw — like the cars they were driving, how many people they were and what kind of weapons they were carrying and stuff like this. It really wasn’t much. Then Pearce showed me some pictures and I could identify three men who I saw on the property. That made his day.“

“That was it? Just like that. He didn’t ask about us at all. Not about me? Pope?“

“Nope. I guess he really just had a hard-on for Smurf.“

“Okay, good thing though, Rodrigo kept his promise and sent proof that you were held hostage in Mexico and didn’t miss the trial on purpose.“

“Yes, Pearce showed me. Rodrigo sent pictures of me locked up and some video that confirmed they had kidnapped me. He didn’t even ask about this at all. He was just interested in the intel about this Sancho clan. Asshole.”

“Did he ask you why Rodrigo let you go?“

“Yes. I told him again that I didn't know anything. That they spoke Spanish all the time. Basically, I just acted stupid. I told him that at some point they all got super hectic. That there was a lot of screaming and running. That they packed everything in their vans and just disappeared. I told him that before the last guy left the house, they unlocked my door and this was the last time I saw any of them." Adrian pauses for a moment. “He also asked me how I got back to Oceanside and when I explained that some random stranger took me to the next city, he was satisfied.”

Adrian raises his hand and brushes it gently along Deran's forehead, over his cheek and to Deran's ear, where he plays with his earlobe. "The only time your name came up was when he asked why I didn't call you to help me and I told him we were not talking because of his previous investigation.”

"So he bought it?"

"Well, I'm here, aren’t I? So he must have. I really don't care. I'm glad it went so well."

„And Livengood?“

"He came in right after and sat there for 10 minutes staring at me. Then he came over, handed me a sheet of paper and thanked me for my help in arresting some high-profile smugglers and exposing an international drug cartel. That this would mean that I have fulfilled my part of the deal and that I only have to sign this statement and he would contact my lawyer who would take care of everything else. 2 years probation." 

Deran stares at him, lost for words. 

“Yes, exactly. Do that for another 30 minutes or so and you know how I felt. When he left, he said that my donation was well received and much appreciated..."

“Donation?“

“That is what he said. I hoped you could tell me more about it. But looking at you now, I guess you had nothing to do with it. Apparently, I donated 250 grand to the Livengood college fund,“ Adrian says and shrugs his shoulders. He can tell that his news haven’t really reached the other one yet. Deran just stands there, his hands holding on to Adrian’s waist. 

“Deran. This was it. After that they let me go.“

“I don’t understand. You don’t have to go to prison?“

“Apparently not.“

“They did not ask about us?“

“Nope.“

“You don’t have to run and hide anymore?“

“No.“

“So this is it? You’re free? You can stay? Stay with me? Here? In this house? It is over?“

“Yes!“

Deran grabs Adrian at his shirt and pulls him in as close as possible. His embrace is so tight, that Adrian has problems breathing properly. They stay like this for minutes or maybe hours. Adrian cannot tell. He just knows that Deran is not ready to let him go. He only moves enough to look Adrian in the eyes. "I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe it. You are gonna stay. And I promise you. This is it. From now on, it is only us. No more secrets, no more hiding, no more lying.“

“Agreed,“ Adrian smiles at Deran and kisses him. A kiss that feels light. A kiss that they haven’t shared in a very long time. A kiss that is no longer overshadowed by their problems and fears. Both get lost in it. They have missed that feeling. And they both know that they will never let it go again.

Suddenly Deran pulls away. “Wait a minute, wait a minute. 250.000 dollars? What?“

Adrian needs a moment to understand the question. He is still so caught up in their kiss and in his own happiness that the sudden change completely surprises him. “Yes, he mentioned some donation. I don’t know. I most certainly did not have that kind of money. But to be honest, he put the deal back on the table and I heard the word probation, so I didn’t ask. Whoever gave him this money, I will be forever grateful. That person quite literally saved my ass.“

Deran has to grin at that. He agrees with Adrian. In that moment he also doesn’t care. Adrian is free. There is no 15 year prison threat hanging over their heads. Nevertheless, he still has to look into this. No one just gives away 250.000 dollars. Not without any kind of strings attached to it. But this can wait till tomorrow, or the day after that. Or the day after that. Right in this moment he wants to enjoy this. Enjoy this lovely, perfect night with Adrian - his Adrian - by his side. The moment he leans in to kiss him again, he feels his phone buzzing. He takes it out of his pocket and checks the display. It is a message from J. He opens it and it reads two words and one emoji. ‘Your welcome’ and a dollar sign.

\---- The End -----

**Author's Note:**

> If you have reached this part, thank you for sticking with this story till the end. I hope you have enjoyed it. This is my first try on writing a story. 
> 
> Since the season four finale I have this idea stuck in my head that Adrian didn't leave. So, this is what I came up with. Some other comments: 
> 
> 1) English is not my native language, so please excuse all the grammar or spelling mistakes.  
2) The bank job actually happened like this or similar to this in Berlin in 2013 and is still unresolved.  
3) The original characters are just that - original. They are not supposed to resemble anyone and are just in the story for the sake of the storyline.  
4) I don't know how the whole surfing competition circuit works - but I tried :)


End file.
